Negative IGG. Positive swab. Monogamous relationship

[LulieThayer]

2 weeks ago, had painful urination that was progressively getting worse. Thought it was UTI then maybe yeast infection. Suddenly got 101 fever w/ aches. Went to ER bc urinating was excruciatingly painful. Noticed 2 small “holes” on my outer labia. Nothing internal. They didn’t hurt, sting, itch, etc. Thought they were inflamed ingrowns and so did ER doc. Was prescribed pyridium and antibiotics for UTI. ER doc couldn’t figure out why I was sick. Pain got worse. Went to OBGYN. She did swab test and blood test. Swab didn’t hurt at all – didn’t even feel it. I’ve never had lesions like this before. This appears to be my first outbreak.

Blood IGG negative – HSV 1 had value of .26 and HSV II had value of .08.

Swab test came back positive. Don’t have physical results – doctor told me over phone.

Today marks 18 days since I first felt tingly, stinging in my urethra. And 12 days since I first discovered the 2 sores. As of today, I feel totally fine and the sores are fully healed (you can barely even a scar).

I’ve been in a very serious committed, monogamous relationship for 8+ months (we are getting married next year). We do not use protection. However, he has no sores. I see him nude everyday and he’s clean.

However, based on my reading, it is possible I contracted it from him even though he’s asymptomatic and/or he could have unknowingly have oral HSV1 and inadvertently passed it to me via oral sex.

What I am trying to discern is whether I’ve had this for months/years or did I just recently contract it over the past 8 months.

My question is : Regardless of whether I had it way before him or contracted it at some point during our relationship, it’s still a significant passage of time – so why do I not have antibodies on my IGG test? I’m just confused because there’s no way this is a recent exposure – we’ve been sleeping together for 8 months.

[LulieThayer]

*To clarify, I tested positive for HSV1 on the swab test. Swab was negative for HSV2.

[Terri Warren]

You ask some great questions.
And sorry to post late, I have had COVID and haven’t been working much at all.
Good to know that your swab was positive for HSV 1.
your IgG test could be negative for one of two reasons: 1) this is new infection and you’ve not yet made antibody or 2) the IgG test misses HSV 1 infection 30% of the time so it may well have missed a standing infection. If you repeat the IgG in 6 weeks and are positive, you will know which of these is accurate if the test is now positive
Has your partner been tested? If he is also positive for HSV 1, he could certainly have given you this via oral sex. If he is negative, he is either uninfected or the test is missing an infection in him.
Transmission doesn’t happen necessarily right away in a sexual relationship.

Terri

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